Book Blitz of Sweet Harmony by Ellie Noor. (#contests- Win A $25 Amazon gift card.)

Sweet Harmony
Ellie Noor
(A Blue Spruce Hills Novella)
Publication date: October 22nd 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Who knew placing second in national baking competition would flood your inbox with opportunities?

Not Clara Whitman.

A third-generation baker, Clara knows that businesses like hers are entrusted, not merely handed over. But with options beyond Blue Spruce Hills suddenly in the mix alongside a looming rent increase, she’s at a crossroads. She can afford to keep the bakery going, but not while pursuing something new.

In a small town where beloved establishments are slowly disappearing, however, even the idea of leaving feels traitorous.

When an up-and-coming violinist comes to town to settle the estate of his estranged grandfather and sell the music shop, he is both a distraction and a reminder that sometimes the real challenge in life is deciding how much of it you’re willing to change.

Sweet Harmony is a spirited celebration of a woman who believes every problem has a solution—set against a backdrop of small-town loyalties, beloved holiday traditions, and the romance that sneaks up on her.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“Thanks for coming, Rye. I know this is early for you.”

“This is important.” Riley bites into the gingerbread and lets out a blissful sigh. “Mmm… just the right amount of spice.”

She cradles the mug in both hands, inhaling deeply.

I know that look, and instinctively brace for whatever she’s going to say.

“You won’t forget me when you make it big, will you? If I have to keep sharing you, I’m afraid there won’t be anything left just for me.”

Her fear comes out the way it always does—half joke, half confession—and I respond the way I always do.

With humor.

Not because I want to minimize her feelings. She has good reason to feel the way she does. But if I take her words too seriously, we’ll spill over into territory that neither one of us can handle at six o’clock in the morning. Not when we have something important planned five minutes from now.

So I stick my tongue out instead.

“Judging by the way my Instagram numbers jumped overnight, that might just be a possibility.” I wait a beat, then tone it down a notch just to be on the safe side. “Joking aside, it’s wild, considering I came in second.”

“I think America is affronted on your behalf.”

I almost snort. “Maybe they’re sympathy likes. Anyway, the winner deserved it.”

“Only you would be genuinely glad for someone else winning when we both know you needed that first place prize money for a refurb and the rent increase. What a wagon that Mrs. Wallace is, serving a rent increase to the bakery and the bookstore and who knows how many other businesses.”

Wagon. This time I snort for real. “You are so Irish, you know that?”

Riley gives me a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry you came in second. You deserved to win.”

“It’s okay. Someone on the show told me that contestants who come in second are often more popular than the winners and, you know what, they might be right because… ” I pull my cell phone out of my apron. “My inbox has been blowing up.”

“Oh..?”

“Listen to this. A cruise line wants me for a holiday residency next year. Live baking demonstrations while influencers sip champagne. Can you imagine?”

Riley starts picking at her sweater. “On a ship like… on the open seas?”

“No, ‘fraidy cat. They operate on the Hudson, the Mississippi, and other rivers. But that’s not all.” I scroll through more emails. “There’s a seasonal TV show, an invitation to teach at a new culinary institute and, wait for it, an offer to consult on a script for a Hallmark show about a baker. I haven’t even looked at the rest, and there are a dozen more since I last che—”

“Clara.” Riley’s mug lands on the table with a soft thud. “These are big-time offers.”

I don’t even try to stop myself from pulling a face.

“I know right?”

“It’s not surprising, though. You were definitely the fan favorite, and that smile of yours at the end…”

“Crying on national TV wouldn’t have fit my brand.” I laugh softly as I bite into my own gingerbread slice. A personal victory, considering half the town showed up at the community center to watch the finale last night. “Besides, I was genuinely happy for the winner.”

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Sweet Harmony Blitz

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Book Blitz of Dead Man's Trigger by Kat Huddleston. (#contests-Win $25 Amazon gift card + 2x ebook copies of Dead Man’s Trigger-3 winners.)

Dead Man’s Trigger: A Max Maguire Vampire Novel
Kat Huddleston
Publication date: October 5th 2026
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Who Knew Immortality Could Be So Short?

When high school history teacher Max Maguire begins to suspect one of his brightest students is in trouble, he ends up walking down the wrong alley. Suddenly, he’s staring down the fangs of a beautiful, powerful, and utterly merciless vampire named Jade.

As Max’s life takes a dark turn he’s forced to learn how to survive in Jade’s twisted world. But if Jade thinks her hostage is going to play nice, she really should have read his resume. This former Special Forces sniper might just have to dust off some very lethal muscle memory.

While Max plots exactly how to kill the most dangerous predator on the planet, he discovers there’s another group of vampires that have their own plans for Jade. Before he knows it, Max is caught in the crosshairs of a vampire war that neither side can afford to lose.

And there’s one thing neither side knows… Max has a secret of his own.

CONTENT WARNING: This is NOT a romance. The novel contains mature content intended for readers 18 and older. This is a gritty, fast-paced genre hybrid combining vampires with dark urban fantasy, tactical military thriller action, and sarcastic humor, with a wisecracking protagonist at its center. There is explicit sexual material, including non-consensual sex, graphic violence, torture, adult themes, and visceral horror elements. In other words, my vampires don’t sparkle.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Max Maguire just got a brutal lesson from his captor, Jade, after his arm was exposed to the sun. He’s left burned and sick. The only one who can help him is the vampire who hurt him.

Max faded in and out of consciousness for hours, as the pain from his arm and the demands from his hunger took turns pounding through him like two enormous drums vying for attention. When he felt the sun leave the sky, the hunger reared up.

He tried to sit up, but his body started to shake. He felt like he was going to die, even though he figured a vampire wouldn’t die from a little sunburn. But he didn’t have any control over his body and every time he moved or touched his arm, pain seared through him. Eventually he stopped trying to get up or move and decided to wait it out. And suddenly there she was, Jade, looking down on him like an angel… or at least an angel from hell.

“What’s wrong with me?” Max asked.

“It’s sun poisoning. You’ll feel better after a bite.”

He closed his eyes as his body began to shake again. Max knew that she could bring him one of his former students at that moment and he’d kill them. His body would take over, the desire ripping right through his heart. And just as Max was focusing every ounce of his being on hating Jade, she sat down on the bed next to him and pulled him into her arms. Tenderly, almost lovingly, she rocked him like a mother would a sick child.

“It’s going to be okay. Drink me, Max,” she said.

He looked up at her surprised. Jade laughed.

She leaned down to kiss him on the forehead and then turned her head to the side, exposing her neck for him. Max’s body took over and in an instant he wrapped his hands around her and crushed her into his body, his fangs sinking into her neck. His mind went blank as he drank her deep and hard, extreme pain mingling with intense pleasure driving his senses to places he’d never been before. Better yet, he could feel her pleasure in his act.

When his mind came back to him, Max kept waiting for her to push him away, but she didn’t. When he finally stopped, he lay back wiping the blood from his mouth. She watched him with her cobalt blue eyes, like a curious cat wondering what he might do next. She’d gone from being pink and warm to pale and cool.

“Do you feel better?” she asked.

Max nodded. “Thank you.” It was a kind of twisted logic that would have him thank her for helping him considering she hurt him in the first place. Regardless he’d go with it. He had to make Jade believe she owned him body and soul, and there was no time to start like the present.

He was still in some pain, but Max felt much, much better. He rolled over to look at her, resting his head on his good arm. “You’re beautiful.”

“And you’re an idiot.”

“Okay,” he said.

“When I was holding your hand, you could have twisted out of the sun. You could have screamed, begged me to stop. Any number of things. But you didn’t. You just endured the pain. Why?”

“If I had done those things, would you have stopped sooner?”

“Probably not,” Jade said.

“Maybe I was trying to impress you.”

“I don’t think so.”

“And what do you think?”

“I think… you weren’t going to let me beat you.”

“You’ve already beaten me,” Max said as he played with her long, blonde hair rubbing a strand over his lips.

Jade laughed and shook her head. “Not yet. But I will… Do you want to continue with lessons on the Saracen Lance?”

“Sure. Why not?”

“Why is more like it.”

“I don’t think learning how to handle myself in this environment will hurt me.”

“It might not help you either… You’re a very interesting former human. Not always too bright though.”

“Somehow I don’t think being bright is a requirement for this job.” Max let his eyes run down the length of her body. She was wearing the T-shirt and jeans from earlier. He really wanted to take them off.

Jade touched his chest and her power flowed through him like an electric current. “I suppose not.” Jade pushed him onto his back and Max stopped talking. He didn’t want to think any more. He just wanted to let the feeling of her power flow through him. At that moment he didn’t even have the energy to hate her.

Author Bio:

Kat Huddleston has never met a perfectly ordinary day she couldn't improve with a vampire, a monster, or an alien invasion.

The result is Dead Man’s Trigger, the first book in her Max Maguire Vampire series, about a former Special Forces sniper turned high school history teacher turned vampire. He has military training, a talent for sarcasm, and a complicated relationship with being dead. Or is it undead?

Kat likes her supernatural creatures intelligent, her heroes complex, and her humor dark. Her vampires don't sparkle.

A Chicago-based writer, teacher, and award-winning artist, Kat spent a couple of decades writing about sci-fi TV and movies for the Syfy Channel’s website and Sci Fi Magazine. She's also written short stories and screenplays, taught fused glass, and created artwork that can be found in several galleries. Occasionally, she pretends she can concentrate on one thing at a time.

When she's not writing, painting, or melting glass in the name of art, Kat lives with her two cats, Jax and Nicky. They provide moral support, quality control, and unsolicited keyboard supervision. So far, neither has offered to help with marketing.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Bookbub / Newsletter

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Dead Man’s Trigger Blitz

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Book Blitz of Funding Zaide by Kim Deister. (3contests- Win A $25 Amazon Gift Card.)

Finding Zaide
Kim Deister
Publication date: October 19th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Life had gotten comfortable for Amara Addison, maybe too comfortable. Fabulous job, great friends, even an amazing ex-boyfriend who was her ride or die for life. Then Zaide Rossi sauntered into her life and suddenly everything changed. But no matter how crazy life became, finding Zaide made every last moment of chaos worth it.
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This book, from concept to edit to design, was created without the use of generative AI.

Goodreads / Amazon

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 EXCERPT:

I found the new photographer wandering around the top floor, occasionally lifting her hands and moving them around in what looked like a rather lame fight with a ghost. My own skills in photography started and ended with my phone’s camera, but I’d been doing this job long enough to know exactly what she was doing and that I shouldn’t interrupt. She was framing shots in her mind’s eye to find interesting plays of light, good angles, unique backgrounds.

A stepstool stood nearby, so I sat on it to wait for her, watching her as she moved around the open space. She’s younger than I expected. Even though I’d known when I hired her that she was younger than the more established photographers we usually used, I’d still somehow had it in my head that she’d be older than she clearly was. But now that I saw her in person, I realized that she had to be about my age, give or take a year or two.

Young or not, however, she looked the part of a creative type. Her chocolate brown hair was pulled up into a messy bun, skewered into place by three jewel-toned chopsticks. The sunlight filtering through the dirty windows glittered off the one ear I could see from where I sat, the cartilage armored by a stack of tiny silver hoops, a bigger one threaded through her nostril. She wore a pair of olive green Army-esque cargo pants with a black camisole left loose over them. On her feet were a pair of purple Chucks that had probably seen better days. More silver encircled her fingers, her wrists, her neck. Tattoos encircled both arms from wrist to shoulder. Another tattoo, a peacock, nestled its head just beneath her ear, the rest of it disappearing beneath her top. What I could see of it was beautiful. Then she turned toward me, and I realized she was beautiful.

My mouth went dry as our eyes met. The world instantly dropped away, and I forgot how to breathe. Then she smiled brightly, and the world settled back into its rightful place. My breath stuttered, and I fervently hoped she hadn’t noticed the effect she’d had on me. What the hell is wrong with you, Mara? Get your shit together. She crossed the room toward me, dust motes flying up in her wake. When she stopped in front of me, I almost lost my ability to breathe all over again.

Zaide Rossi was even more beautiful up close.

Author Bio:

My name is Kim and my last name, Deister, is pronounced “Die-ster.” I always tell my husband I should have kept my married name, Ingram. So much easier to to pronounce!

I am a writer thoroughly in love with words. Reading them, writing them… I love that words can take you outside of your world and let the unimaginable become imaginable. I love them so much that I decided I needed to create some worlds and stories of my own!

Besides being a writer, I am an Army veteran (and Army wife) and a mom to four sons. I grew up in northern New York in a tiny college town called Potsdam. Over the years, our Army life has taken us all over the place and I have been lucky enough to work and live in some pretty amazing places. Right now we live in Hawaii on the island of O’ahu, minutes from the North Shore.

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Cover Reveal of Heartless Beauty by Jennifer Silverwood

Heartless Beauty
Jennifer Silverwood
(Wylder Tales, #4)
Publication date: March 31 2027
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Blurb coming soon…

A slow burn fairy tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast, the Wylder Tales series includes:

rival queens
forced proximity
enemies to lovers
found family
magical bonds
wicked witches
burly beasts

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

Author Bio:

Jennifer Silverwood lives in the middle of an enchanted forest surrounded by cursed books, nosy spirits, and mischievous goblins she calls her children. After beginning several nonsensical degrees, she found her calling helping other authors bring their books to life. Jennifer is the author of two fairy tale fantasy series: the Borderlands Saga and Wylder Tales. Because she wasn't satisfied writing in one genre, she also invites you to explore uncharted space with the Heaven’s Edge Novellas—and dare to fall in love again with the standalone romance titles Stay and She Walks in Moonlight.

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Book Blitz of Thirty Grains of Love by Anette Rosen. (#contests- Win a $50 Amazon Gift card.)

Thirty Grains of Love
Anette Rosen
Publication date: August 26th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Thriller, Women’s Fiction

What if the life you fight to save is the life that keeps you from becoming free?

It is 2001, and renowned artist Isabella unveils a triumphant solo exhibition at Boston’s prestigious modern art gallery. While critics have hailed her talent for creating spectacular color-saturated canvases, her career, marriage, and finances are crumbling.

Determined to save her family’s historical house by the sea as well as her psychiatrist husband’s reputation during his court trial in Europe, Isabella must somehow care for her daughter without a steady income. After she demands that her former lover, Angel, support her passion project, Isabella promises him one night in return. Restoring the house and obtaining financing are both part of the project. This depends on tracking down her missing best friend, Nina, whom she had put forward to a wealthy sponsor for adapting his memoir into a novel.

Now trapped in a love triangle and a deepening financial crisis, Isabella must find a way forward as the conflict between love, legacy, and survival compels her to question her deepest beliefs while her reputation hangs in the balance.

Thirty Grains of Love is the tale of long-time friends who must piece together their broken personal lives while pursuing their dreams, defining their identities, and experiencing authentic love for the very first time. Set against the backdrop of history and generational echoes of secrecy and social limitations, it explores the route to happiness and its price across four marriage models—trad wife, double career, open relationship, and unequal income.

An uplifting story with a dual timeline showing that the hardest yet most rewarding decision in midlife is to embrace one’s true self.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

ISABELLA

The Exhibition

Boston 2001

Here I am on another continent, living my dream—a dream I had forgotten and now need to save. Beau Isabella conquered the art world—only to lose everything she ever had. What a deal. And what a mess. Me, as usual, but this time it’s for real.

People are gathering outside the exhibit at NAGA, Boston’s prestigious modern art gallery, welcoming the snowflakes on their faces and eager to get in. Above the entrance hangs a banner adorned with vibrant, shimmering purple letters: ISABELLA. I picture the stars skating far above, poised to illuminate the city in pristine white once the clouds clear.

I wish I fit in here. I wish I were free.

My first exhibition in North America. Pressure, a heavy weight, mingles with pride. TV reporters speaking at the entrance about explosions of color, enchanted faces, and innovative art. Behind them, a poster depicts my auburn hair and pale shoulders as I turn around in a sweeping movement. The New York Times featured an extensive review last week, and I keep rereading my favorite part:

It is hard to believe that Boston discovered this incredible talent first. Visitors say they haven’t experienced colors like this since the Impressionist era. Isabella’s compositions spark countless interpretations; the public and the critics have fallen in love with her.

I hope I can keep the palette bright if Nina is still missing. I need her for my project, and I need her as a friend. She always finds the right words. And then Lucy’s school bills arrive, as punctual as a Japanese train. How could Chris be so sure we can afford it all?

Yesterday was different. I stood near the gallery entrance in my burgundy evening dress, trying to appear both graceful and casual amid the camera flashes—I’m not ready for celebrity just yet. My gallery partner, Alicia, took me aside to meet another journalist.

Meanwhile, I handled the press questions with ease. They’ve become routine, even on television. I only make them put on more rouge to hide how pale my skin is from no sleep and daily exhaustion. Some journalists worship me and submit to my presence just to serve the public—even if they haven’t seen my work. Others are looking for a juicy detail that might make me more intriguing, trying to chip away at my “art goddess” halo.

Still, this time, a humble man from a local magazine, at first distracted and absorbed in his notes, brought me out of my shell with his last question:

“How has your talent remained, even after you ignored it for decades? Is there someone in the family from whom you inherited this gift?”

I took a deep breath. The walls started moving, like each time I tried to approach the tripod hiding in a corner at home. We had long sacrificed the atelier. Feeling miserable for not having painted in years, I didn’t need a gray-suited journalist to remind me of that. I’m thirty-eight, not retired. And it’s a question I never answer in public. So, despite the subtle provocation, I responded with a smile.

“It’s not as if I completely ignored it—books with my illustrations flew off the shelves like hotcakes. I enjoy children’s books the most because they encourage kids to give wings to their imagination before they can read longer texts. The most important thing in life is to touch someone with what you do. If you give somebody a lesson, valuable advice, a beautiful song, or a new life, then you’ve been present in this world.” I shook my head, letting my earrings swing, to give him a sign that the interview was over.

After that, I enjoyed the peacefulness of my natural surroundings—an exhibition hall filled with paintings and new ideas. I knew I had one last chance to preserve it all, but it felt good not to think about reality for a while. After all, Nina must still be alive—she left of her own free will—and for the time being, I somehow serve my debt and Chris’ lawyers’ bills. If only he could silence the media… What was his psychiatrist’s training for? He employed the wrong assistant, and now she is destroying his reputation.

However, you need a free heart to create, so instead of diving into accounting, I keep dreaming of restoring the seaside villa. An art object, it would be my perfect retreat.

It was a pleasant surprise when the next visitor entered the room. Maybe he could contribute to achieving my dream. Angel’s height and wavy dark hair seized everyone’s attention. He surveyed the space like a panther, searching for a suitable place to start. I bounded over to him.

Author Bio:

Anette has been writing stories since she could hold a pencil, short after she turned four. What started as an intrinsic love for storytelling has turned into a lifelong passion, only to be subdued for a while by a professional career and the care she took of her two wonderful daughters. There's nothing Anette likes better than writing (and reading) stories that are both inspiring and humorous, with a touch of romance and a heartwarming streak of truth running through them. 

Anette is a passionate traveler and a big dreamer who never gives up on anything. When she's not writing or inventing new stories, you can find her among her friends or in her maisonette in Frankfurt, Germany, watching masterpiece movies or a tennis match with a glass of wine and her fluffy cat, Lia, beside her.

Anette has a master's degree in English and American literature and a PhD in Linguistics. Having worked as a freelance translator and a project manager, her favourite job has been that of a Tour Director, leading North American groups on educational tours throughout Europe. 

Anette’s stories have found their home in online and printed magazines. Her novella "The Sea Moves On" was published in October 2022 in Sofia to receive a hearty welcome from its readers. Currently, the novel “Thirty Grains of Love” is short before publication.

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Book Blitz of If You Were Mine by A.S. Kelly. (#contests- Win A $25 Amazon gift card.)

If You Were Mine
A.S. Kelly
Publication date: October 14th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Levi Anderson has never felt more alone. Since saying goodbye to his husband, he has drifted between long shifts at the hospital and quiet, empty hours in his apartment, surrounded by boxes he can’t bring himself to unpack. He refuses to face the pain — or imagine a life without him.

Shay Miller has never been more furious. In one devastating moment, he lost the man he loved, his job, and the home they shared. He’s barely holding himself together. He’s tried to start over, but deep down, he knows he can’t move on until he lets go of the past — and stops hurting himself.

When fate brings Levi and Shay together, they immediately see how different they are and can’t imagine ever being drawn to one another. Levi is still learning how to live again, while Shay is learning how to forgive.

Yet, with this stranger who’s appeared out of nowhere, Levi slowly begins to open up and trust again. And with this man, terrified of letting himself go, Shay starts to long for someone he can protect and love.

For the first time, the future feels possible for both of them. But Levi doesn’t know Shay has lied about who he is — or that he’s hiding a secret capable of destroying everything, leaving Levi to hate the man he loves for the rest of his life.

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EXCERPT:

After about half an hour, I’m standing outside the cafeteria, peering through the window to make sure he’s really inside, waiting for me. But when I see him, sitting at one of the tables, intent on reading the newspaper, the urge to turn around and run away almost gets the better of the strange, inexplicable desire to sit at that table with him.
He lifts his head from the newspaper and scans the room. Then his eyes land on me, watching him from the other side of the glass, as if he suddenly realises someone is there.
I wave at him like an idiot, take a deep breath, walk to the cafeteria door, pluck up courage, and push it open. I cross the space between us with his eyes still on me, and join him at the table. He folds the newspaper and sets it aside the moment my hand touches the back of the chair in front of him.
“You didn’t get anything.”
“I was waiting for you.”
I grip the back of the chair without thinking.
“Do you want to…?” He points to the same chair.
I’d like to, yes. To sit here with you. To talk, maybe even smile at you, to understand who you are and why you keep appearing in my life when I least expect anything to happen. And I wish I didn’t feel guilty towards those who are no longer here, just for thinking and wanting all these things.
“Everything okay?” he asks, after realising I’ve been standing in front of him, just staring.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly.
“And do you maybe want to find out?”
“I don’t know that either.”
He nods slowly, as if turning my words over in his mind.
“All I know is that I want to sit down.”
He sketches a half smile.
“With you.” I don’t know if I’m still breathing as I say it. “I want to sit here with you.”

Author Bio:

A. S. Kelly was born in Italy and now lives in Dublin, Ireland, with her husband, two children, two cats, and many plants.

She worked as a literary translator for several years before she began writing full-time. Today, her books are available in English, Italian, and Spanish.

A. S. Kelly writes emotional, heartfelt romantic fiction. Her most popular series are The O'Connor Brothers and From Connemara with Love.

She enjoys yoga, running, and swimming. She also loves gardening, photography, and reading mystery and crime novels.

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Book Blitz of Skip Carter Henchman for Hire by J. Von Swan.(#Contests- Enter to win Paperback book prize/pr kit

Skip Carter: Henchman for Hire
J. Von Swan
Publication date: October 13th 2026
Genres: Action, Adult, Humor

From the award-winning author of the Wolf of Vanaheim series comes a story about the guy nobody roots for — until now.

Skip Carter isn’t a hero. He’s a former soldier, ex-con, and lifelong screw-up whose only real talent is taking punches and showing up anyway. So when a shady agency offers to rent him out as muscle for supervillains, he figures it’s just another paycheck.

But between ridiculous costumes, insane bosses, and jobs that always end in broken bones, Skip starts to realize the real losers are the guys stuck cleaning up after the chaos. And when a world-ending threat finally hits Skytropolis, he gets one shot to stop being the disposable henchman and start being the man his daughter believes he can be.

Darkly funny, surprisingly heartfelt, and packed with action, Skip Carter, Henchman for Hire is for anyone who’s ever felt like the sidekick in their own story.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Mrs. Fuller glanced down her list. “Okay! Next we have… Mr. Carter.”

Peggy turned around in her chair and locked eyes with me. Her smile wasn’t just excitement. It was encouragement. A silent You can do this.

My chest tightened as I stood, smoothing the front of my suit jacket with sweaty hands. The room stared at me with pure, unfiltered child curiosity. No judgment yet. Just curious attention like they were hoping I might be someone I’m not.

I walked to the front of the classroom, facing a row of small faces that believed adults were all responsible, stable people with their shit together. And I realized, with sudden clarity, that I had no idea what to say.

I opened my mouth but nothing came out.

Awkward, uncomfortable silence stretched. The kind that crawls across your skin and whispers everyone is watching you screw this up.

I cleared my throat and glanced at Dr. Ramirez. He studied me like he was trying to place how he knew me from his emergency room.

“Uh. Hi, kids.”

A few of them waved like I was a minor celebrity. Someone whispered something and giggled.

“My name is Skip Carter. I’m Peggy’s dad.”

Peggy sat up straighter at that. Pride radiated off her like a heat lamp.

“I, uh… I used to be in the military.” That part was safe and true. Technically documented despite the dishonorable discharge. “And now I work in… private security.”

That sounded boring enough to pass. Mrs. Fuller nodded approvingly.

Jayden, the dog lover, raised his hand immediately. “Do you protect people?”

Every instinct screamed at me to lie. To say yes. To let that be the end of it. Protecting people was clean. Simple. Noble.

Instead, honesty slipped out like a bad habit.

“Not really,” I said.

Jayden frowned with confusion. “So then what do you do?”

I choked a little. “I… help make sure certain situations go the way they’re supposed to.”

That felt vague enough to dodge the truth while still being technically accurate. I had spent years perfecting that skill.

A girl with neat, black braids and a pink sweater raised her hand. “Do you stop bad guys?”

“No,” I said, and immediately regretted it. “I mean, sometimes other people stop them.”

She also frowned like I’d just told her Santa wasn’t real.

Another hand shot up. “Do you stop burglars from stealing stuff?”

I shook my head. “No.”

The kids started exchanging confused looks. The magic was leaking out of the room.

From the back, a voice cut through the air. “My mom says he’s a henchman.”

Some of the kids immediately giggled.

I looked toward the sound. It was Billy from next door. He was wearing a Captain Justice T-shirt and a smug expression. The kind of kid who repeated adult conversations without understanding why they hurt.

Peggy whipped around in her seat. “Shut up, Billy!”

Mrs. Fuller stepped forward. “Billy, that’s not appropriate–”

Billy wasn’t done. “She says henchmen work for supervillains and help them hurt people.”

Every pair of eyes swung back to me.

I felt heat crawl up my neck, into my face. The suit suddenly felt too tight.

Peggy stood up in her seat. “My dad knows all the superheroes!”

That part was technically true. Unfortunately.

Billy smirked. “Then does he know Captain Justice?”

I exhaled slowly. “Yeah,” I said. “I know Captain Justice.”

Billy’s eyes lit up. “Is he awesome in real life?”

I thought about Captain Justice and all the times he had knocked out my friends. About him swooping in to stop us even when the jobs were small. About the time he punched a henchman who was injured and trying to surrender.

“He’s kind of a blowhard,” I said.

Author Bio:

J. Von Swan is the award-winning author of the Wolf of Vanaheim series. He retired from law enforcement as a Sergeant in 2024 after the birth of his first daughter. During his career, he served on both the SWAT team and the mental health unit, experiences that now influence his writing and dark sense of humor. He now writes full-time and instructs law enforcement part-time at the community college.

J. Von Swan lives in Colorado with his family, where he spends his time enjoying the outdoors and imagining dragons that still need slaying.

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GIVEAWAY

Skip Carter: Henchman for Hire Blitz

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Book Tour of Almost There by Jean Seager. (#contests- Win a Gift Card.)

 

A Collection Inspired by True Stories of the Jewish Immigrant Experience

Historical Fiction

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Almost There offers an intimate, emotionally resonant portrait of the Jewish immigrant experience in early twentieth-century America. This collection of linked short stories follows individuals who faced the uncertainty of a new land, summoned the courage to navigate unfamiliar cultures, and endured the antisemitism that shaped their world.

While fictionalized, these narratives were inspired by interviews with Americans who shared memories of their immigrant ancestors. Their stories unfold against the backdrop of sweeping historical events, such as the Great Depression, World War II, the Holocaust, and the founding of the State of Israel.

Poignant and powerful, Almost There illuminates a pivotal chapter in American history and speaks to the timeless search for belonging, identity, and home.

 

About the Author

 

 Award-winning writer Jean Seager graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and received two graduate degrees from San Diego State University. Her writing has appeared in the

literary publications Mikrokosmos and The Long Story. In 2018, her story “The Award” won second place in the San Diego Public Library’s short story contest.

A granddaughter of Jewish immigrants who came to America from eastern Europe in the early twentieth century, Jean was fascinated by her mother’s stories of growing up as a second-generation immigrant in Tennessee’s tobacco country. The Jewish immigrant experience continued to intrigue her and became the catalyst for her writing.

Jean is a native Californian and long-time resident of Coronado, a suburb of San Diego, where she lives with her husband Bill.

Contact Links

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Book Blitz of After The Fall By Wendy Roberts.(#CONTESTS- Win A $25 Amazon Gift Card.)

After the Fall
Wendy Roberts
Publication date: October 9th 2026
Genres: Adult, Thriller

“This is an excellent read for those who want true psychological crime built around family secrets. Very highly recommended.”
Asher Syed for Readers’ Favorite

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Amber clings to the wreckage of a shattered life; a hermit drowning in the ghosts of what used to be.

When someone dumps a mutilated body on her wilderness property, a cryptic clue makes her the prime suspect. To clear her name, she must confront the dark secrets of her tragic past while a shadowy executioner is closing in.

 

 

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

When the blade of death whittled my family of three down to only me, I ran. Grief had scraped me empty, so fourteen months ago I fled to a shack in the northeastern Washington wilderness. I was seeking sanctuary and hoping the pines would mend my shattered soul. Maybe that was too much to expect of the trees. At least they didn’t judge the monument to my failure; a recycling bin overflowing with wine bottles.

The morning light struggled through my grimy windows and poked at my hangover. I took my coffee mug outside and stood on the splintered porch of the small cabin. The air was deceptively still and heavy, carrying the sharp scent of sunbaked pine needles and the silent, shimmering threat of an approaching scorcher of a day. My cabin sat at the dusty elbow of two dirt roads. Between my door and the ditch was half an acre of thigh-high, dewless grass that stood stiff and dry alongside leggy wildflowers and a single tree.

The western hemlock tried for the heavens at nearly two hundred feet, and it was the area under the tree that drew my critical gaze. A woman sat in the tall grass, back against the tree. What was someone doing way the hell out here?

With an eye roll I left the house and stormed toward her.

“Hey!” I shouted.

The strap of her checkered sundress had fallen from one shoulder and as I reached her, I lifted a hand to tap her arm. As my finger got close, a cloud of flies lifted and re-settled into gaping, torn flesh. The wind shifted direction and a thick miasma of putrid decay stung my nostrils. I stumbled backward as my stomach lurched.

Dead!

I couldn’t stop the tremor in my jaw; my teeth clattered together as I whispered broken words, “I-I should check to be sure . . .”

But my voice trailed off because nothing that smelled like that could be anything but gone.

Author Bio:

Wendy Roberts is an armchair sleuth, fan of all things mysterious but a huge chicken at heart. Her mind is often in the secretive, cloak and dagger world of intrigue while her physical presence is usually at home or on the road in her camper van. Wendy resides in Vancouver, Canada where she happily writes about murder and is always at work on her next novel.

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GIVEAWAY!

After the Fall Blitz

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Book Blitz of Death Hits the High Notes by gg calpo. #contests- win A $10 Amazon gift card.)

Death Hits the High Notes
GG Calpo
(The Sweet TOOTH Murder Mystery Series)
Publication date: October 7th 2026
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery, Mystery

Trouble is brewing at Whitman’s Port Choral Society as choir members drop dead and Detective Jonathan Storm raises more questions than answers in his investigation. When Stefan, the choir’s soloist, gets weaker by the day, Meg and her friends take matters into their own hands. And if a murder investigation was not enough to elevate anyone’s blood pressure, Meg finds herself in danger tied to her past that she’s struggling to understand.
Will Meg and her friends stop the killer before Stefan becomes the next victim—and before Meg’s past catches up with her?
Join these golden-age sleuths as they follow the clues, protect their own, and prove that friendship is the strongest weapon against a killer.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

There were two new faces I didn’t recognize from last year’s concert. They looked familiar, though I couldn’t place where I had seen them before. The conductor stood in front, his back to us as he summoned the choir’s eyes to him with a few taps of his baton. He took a deep breath, synchronizing the choir’s breathing to his own. Gesturing with his baton, he released the soprano’s voice—rich, powerful, and throbbing with emotion. The beginning strains of the solo filled the auditorium. Holding his right hand at waist level, the conductor flicked his right index finger left, then right, counting the beats.

“That’s Amanda, in case you didn’t know,” Liz told me behind her raised hand.

I nodded and tried to stop my giggles when Liz’s shoulder hit mine.

“Will…you…shut…up?” Barbara widened her eyes more with each word.

Liz waved her hands in surrender, twitched her body deeper into the chair, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. If it weren’t for the trembling of her shoulders, Liz could have fooled us with her pose of deep listening. But we knew her, and all she got from Barbara was another shove. Despite her unfailingly put-together appearance—manicured nails and hair always expertly cut and dyed—Liz hadn’t left her teen years behind. We must have been making a racket because a woman three rows down turned around and glared at us.

Liz and I looked at each other and decided to settle down and listen. I swayed, imagining my soul lifting in prayer, soaring past the lights of the auditorium and ever more upwards into the wide open sky beyond the school building. Then it happened. One minute I was up in the heavens, one with the song; the next minute I was crashing without a parachute.

The glorious voice stopped, leaving echoes of the high note ringing in the auditorium. A harsh cough sounded, jarring and unexpected. The accompanist stopped. The conductor jerked forward while the soprano toppled gracelessly to the floor, face down. Music scores fluttered in the air before landing gently around the stricken woman. A choir member huddled over her while the rest stared in shock.

“She’s not breathing!” The grief-stricken wail rattled my bones.

Barbara jumped up from her chair, her eyes fixed on Stefan, who stood frozen in his place, his eyes fixed on Amanda.

Amanda…who wasn’t moving.

I whipped my phone out of my bag and dialed nine-one-one. How long would help take to get here? Stefan moved to where Amanda was, kneeling to touch her on her shoulder. What was Stefan waiting for? Why was he not giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation? A few other choir members crept nearer but then backed away when Stefan waved them off. Start CPR, I wanted to shout, but couldn’t because the 911 operator had picked up my call.

Then the door to the auditorium opened, and in walked Edna, former third-grade teacher of Post Elementary School and the last of our group. One look at the stage and the woman laid out on the floor had Edna gasping, loud enough for everyone to hear, “Oh no, not another murder?”

Author Bio:

GG Calpo is a retired lawyer and accountant who traded contracts and numbers for the far more enjoyable chaos of fictional crime. Now she writes cozy whodunits featuring warm-hearted golden-aged sleuths who’ve seen it all, heard it all and will investigate a murder with zero hesitation. She loves stories where the stakes are personal, family and friendships are paramount, with characters who refuse to follow the outline and endings that pull the rug out. When not plotting twisty crimes—on paper only, of course—she spends her time reading, crocheting blankets and sweaters for her five grandchildren, watching mystery TV shows and taking long walks in her neighborhood. She lives in Central New Jersey with her husband and two corgis, Whiskey and Nugget.

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GIVEAWAY!

Death Hits the High Notes Blitz

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Cover Reveal of The Reports of Silas Killian by A J Sherwood

The Reports of Silas Killian, Beleaguered Space Station Beat Cop
AJ Sherwood
(Selarion Station, #1)
Publication date: December 18th 2026
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Unfortunately, this is my circus, and these are my monkeys.

When Silas graduated from the police academy, he expected a certain level of crazy. People were people no matter the age, race, or location–they were going to get into shit. Somehow, Selarion Space Station took it all up a notch, and it can’t all be blamed on the Qax’asins who don’t believe in wearing clothes.

Factor in Ruan, who’s part owner of that very space station, and from a race that can tell on sight when they’ve met their mate, and Silas’s life goes from crazy to absurd. Ruan is adamant that Silas is his.

Silas very much begs to differ.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

  

Author Bio:

AJ Sherwood believes in happily ever afters, magic, dragons, good men, and dark chocolate. She often dreams at night of delectable men doing sexy things with each other. In between writing multiple books (often at the same time) she pets her cats, plays with her dogs, and attempts insane things like aerial yoga.

She currently resides in Michigan with aforementioned dogs and cats. Being in snow country gives her the excuse to stay inside and watch bl dramas, which suit her perfectly.

 

 

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Book Blitz of Story Night by May Wynn. (#contests- Win An Ecopy of the book.)

Stormy Night
May Wynn
Publication date: March 20th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A spicy Novella! A short read, sensual seduction & second chance romance!

One explosive kiss!

Tripping over her own two feet at the restaurant and falling into the arms of a handsome blue-eyed stranger was the last thing on Marena’s plans for the evening.

She’s balancing single life, career, and family. Working on her laptop at the bar turns into a night of excitement when she meets sexy Hayden.

This was Hayden’s first night in town, new to the area for a business project.
A workaholic, he planned to focus on work, after stopping at the bar for a couple of drinks.

Rescuing a klutz from a fall was unexpected, but this gorgeous woman was a distraction he didn’t see coming.

Sitting at the bar an hour later; wine, flirting and laughing, had them both giddy, feeling like teenagers. They were taken aback at their instant chemistry.

A spontaneous kiss leaves his jaw wide open and his world rocked!

One big problem!

As Marena rode home, the lingering smile on her face slowly disappeared. She came to the sober realization that she didn’t know his name or phone number!!

What just happened?
This woman came into his life only a few hours ago, but the passion between them had rocked his world with just one kiss! Then it dawned on him, in horror, he didn’t know her name!

He couldn’t forget their explosive chemistry; How was he ever going to find this woman?

Would fate intervene and bring them together?
Will a stormy night of passion be in their future?
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*Perfect for readers who love a short read, sensual seduction & second chance romance!
Tropes:
Spicy Novella
Sensual Seduction
Second Chance at Love
Workplace Romance
Stormy Night Romance
Quick Romantic Read

Goodreads / Purchase

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EXCERPT:

Leaving the restroom, the loud ring of her cell phone made Marena jump. She pulled the phone out of her jean pocket. It was Rose. As she swung the restroom door open, she was looking down at her phone… not paying attention, she tripped over her own two feet. Her cell phone went flying and Marena felt herself stumbling… her body lunged forward and she was headed for a face-first fall to the floor.

Out of nowhere, a muscular arm from behind reached forward, wrapping across Marena’s stomach and waistline to prevent her from falling. Slowly she looked up at the stranger with an expression of relief and horror, as she realized she had a solid grip on his forearm. He easily held her weight and steadied her.

“Um, thank you. I’m so sorry,” she blubbered, as her face blushed with embarrassment.

“Are you alright?” The stranger looked down at her face and was startled to see striking green eyes staring back at him. Neither moved for a second, as she held his gaze.

“Yes, I’m just a klutz. My daughter was calling and I wasn’t paying attention to my footing,” she replied, as she looked into a pair of beautiful light blue eyes.

The man who had come to her aid stood about six feet tall, with a medium build. He was ruggedly handsome. His thick mane of dark brown hair, mixed with slight graying, had a messy look, the kind she’d love to run her hands through. The shadow of a brown-graying beard gave him a distinguished, sexy look. She guessed that he was approximately her age.

“Yes, you need to be more careful,” he said, as he looked around the floor and spotted her cell phone. His eyes took in the woman before him. She was a pretty woman, definitely easy on the eyes, but damn, what a klutz. Their eyes met briefly again, but she blinked and looked away, still blushing and embarrassed.

“And,” he paused slightly. “You’re welcome,” he said, with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, as he handed her the phone. He had an air of confidence about him that she found very attractive.

Her face flushed a warm pink, knowing he was amused. Their eyes locked again, but this time she held his gaze steadily, challenging him, with a slight tug of a smile. He held his breath and his pulse raced…he saw raw emotions in those gorgeous bright green eyes. It halted him in his tracks, mesmerized. The electricity between them sizzled in the air.

The sound of her cell phone rang loud, breaking the special moment between them. She shrugged apologetically and glanced at her phone.

He smiled wryly. In a flash, he was gone off to the men’s restroom.

Marena walked back to the bar, cell phone in hand.

Author Bio:

May Wynn writes contemporary romance novels known for their emotional depth, engaging characters, and a satisfying happily-ever-after. A lifelong reader, her passion for storytelling began early, inspired by a close mentor who introduced her to a wide range of authors and genres. Together, they shared their own version of a book club before book clubs were even a trend.

After a successful career in the corporate world, May turned her focus to writing, bringing her love of romance to the page. She is an enthusiastic world traveler. She and her husband share a love of culture, history, and adventure, having traveled to more than 60 countries together. She draws inspiration from the places she has visited, weaving them into the stories she creates.

May lives in Florida with her family, where she enjoys writing on her lanai with a latte in hand, surrounded by the beauty of nature.

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GIVEAWAY!

Stormy Night Blitz

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Book Blitz of A Healing Heart in Twinkle Falls by Freda Ann. (#Contests- Enter to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card- three winners.)

A Healing Heart in Twinkle Falls
Freda Ann
(A Twinkle Falls Novel, #7)
Publication date: October 1st 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

Nicole Holburg

After my military career with the Air Force’s Communications Squadron comes to a tragic ending, I head home to Twinkle Falls hoping to put my life back together.

With a failed relationship behind me, I won’t allow another man in my life since the last one nearly ended it.

Nick Rodriguez

I had my future planned out when I graduated from The Culinary Arts Academy in Switzerland. I’ll settle down with my childhood sweetheart in our home state of Hawaii, if she’d have me after years of lost communication.

As fate would have it, the only girl I’ve loved had married someone else.

When my best friend asks me to be his head chef at a prestigious inn in Twinkle Falls, I accept the offer. Building a new life in the small town where I went to high school leaves me feeling fulfilled.

Once my son comes to live with me, I’m soon reminded of what’s missing from this idyllic life… that one person who leaves me feeling complete. The problem is I have yet to meet her in this small town I’ve grown fond of.

Will these two have as much faith as the pastor does when he nudges Nicole to help Nick at the soup kitchen? Can the town busy bodies, who swoon over the man known as Jason Momoa’s doppelgänger, push Nick in the direction of his potential soulmate?

(Though this book is part of an ongoing series you should have no problem following Nicole and Nick’s storyline. If you’ve already read books 5 and 6 of the series, you’re more than likely familiar with this couple.)

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

Wincing, I struggle to raise my puffy eyelids while feeling something cold beneath me. Rolling my head to the side I try taking in my surroundings. That’s when I get a glimpse of blood on the concrete under my twisted body.

Ahhh, what— I draw a ragged breath while trying to figure out what’s happening, but that’s when my world turns black.

The next thing I remember is waking up in a white sterile room full of machinery emitting various tones and a window with the blinds half closed. With fuzzy eyes I notice silver rails on each side of the bed I’m lying in. While blinking, glimpses of a nurse taking my vitals comes into view. When finished, she moves to the foot of the bed to type on a computer.

“Where… am I?” I ask attempting to focus on the room. I struggle to fully open my eyes, but only manage to see pieces of my surroundings.

Pain shoots through me as I try lifting my hand to my swollen eyes. Unable to bear the pain rushing through me, my arm drops on top of my right leg as tears sting my eyes.

“Try not to move, Nicole.” A mature and soothing voice approaches me from the foot of my bed. “You’re in the hospital on base. I’m told you were also here a few weeks ago. Can you tell me what happened this time?” The nurse inquires.

My brain feels jumbled, like I’m trying to put together a puzzle without all the pieces, as I attempt to recall what could have put me in here.

Gently I shake my head staring at her while sobbing. “Why—” Unable to put words together I pause.

Breathing deep to calm myself isn’t easy, though I manage to take a few breaths before speaking slowly and softly. “Why can’t I… remember?”

“Oh, honey don’t be so hard on yourself.” She pats my arm. “In your condition you should thank God for being alive. If that knot on your head had been an inch closer to your temple, you wouldn’t be here.

Author Bio:

Freda Ann is fondly known for her sweet/clean, HEA RomComs. Her loyal fans and reviewers have compared several of her books to Hallmark movies. Many have hit #1 in multiple categories after release.

She writes relatable, faith and family based love stories which include kids and adorable dogs. Her writing style appeals to people of all ages. Her books will take you on an emotional journey with likable characters, and dreamy settings you'll wish you could visit.

After retiring from a career in the law enforcement field, Freda feels blessed to be able to write and self-publish her stories for everyone to read. She adores her large family, 5 children and 9 grandchildren, and hosts monthly family gatherings.

To hear about new releases, please follow her on Amazon and also on Goodreads.

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A Healing Heart in Twinkle Falls Blitz

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